673. Chapter 673

Alex Danvers has a reputation to uphold.

And so does Maggie Sawyer.

So she understands when Alex tells her to ignore the pajamas.

She understands, but she thinks they’re cute anyway.

And when she says as much, it doesn’t go unnoticed – she is a detective, after all, and she does nothing if not detect – that Alex blushes and grins that goofy grin and seems, deep in her nervous little core, to like it. A lot.

That Maggie thinks the badass DEO agent’s soft little pajamas are cute.

But Alex has a reputation to uphold, and Maggie understands, so she doesn’t push it past that point.

This whole thing is new, after all.

This whole seeing-fireworks-while-making-out-with-the-most-beautiful-woman-she’s-ever-seen thing.

But she does notice, and she suspects.

Suspects that Alex might, in fact, be a lot softer than she tries to project; or, perhaps, than she even knows herself.

Because the first time they make love – and god, does it leave Maggie’s entire body tingling – she’s not sure if Alex will freak out. If Alex will leave, or expect Maggie to leave, because maybe the sex broke the bright and shiny bubble, and maybe Alex will move on to the next lesbian she can bring to orgasm again, and again, and again.

But instead, Alex kisses her neck sleepily and tugs gently at Maggie’s hands until Maggie is completely wrapped around her, their legs entwined and Alex’s back flush against Maggie’s stomach and Alex holding Maggie’s hands near her delightfully bare chest.

And Maggie thinks, then, that maybe it’s just because they’ve just had sex for the first time. That maybe Alex is freaking out, and the way she’s freaking out is by keeping Maggie close. To keep somebody close.

But the next time it happens – the next time Alex blearily insists on close, close cuddles – they haven’t had sex.

Not for lack of trying, though.

Because, indeed, Alex had tried.

Alex had tried to be sexy – it worked – and she’d tried to be seductive – it worked – and she’d tried to power through the transition from kissing to… more… than kissing… with energy and verve – and that?

That hadn’t worked at all.

Because Alex has just come off a forty-six hour shift and she is bone-dead tired.

And she tries.

She tries to make love, but Maggie’s the one that slows them down, with a chuckle that starts low in her throat and a smile that lights her entire soul.

“Danvers, it’s okay. Sleep. I want you to sleep. Okay?”

“But the sex,” Alex murmurs, even as her body starts to obey Maggie’s words.

“The sex can be had when my beautiful girl wakes up,” Maggie kisses her eyelids as Alex lets them close as she lays down.

“Sleep time?” Alex asks, barely conscious now.

“Yes, babygirl. Sleep time,” Maggie kisses her face again before moving to get out of the bed, to let Alex sleep.

“Stay,” Alex moans, so desperately flailing her arms out for Maggie that she almost wakes herself up. “If you want to.”

“You want me to stay, Ally?” Maggie smiles, and Alex nods victoriously, even with her eyes closed.

“You want me to hold you while you sleep, sweetie?” Maggie confirms, and Alex’s sleepy smile gets even wider as she settles back into Maggie’s open arms.

“Flying with Kara and dragons,” Alex murmurs as she sinks into sleep, and Maggie tilts her head into the pillow in a combination of amusement and confusion.

“That’s right, babe,” she kisses the back of Alex’s neck, and Alex hums happily in her sleep.

Which, even more than her adorable, awkward stammering or the way she sighs into their kisses, confirms it more than anything: badass DEO agent Alex Danvers is soft as anything and loves, loves, loves cuddles.

And Maggie has never been so honored to be trusted with such a beautiful part of someone’s being.